"No." He tore a strip from the bottom of his shirt and tied it above the bite.
That was when the sound of an engine came from down the road.
Roadside assistance.
The tow truck pulled up and the driver jumped out. "You the ones who called?"
Les stood. He pointed at Lila. "She was bitten by a snake. She needs a hospital, now."
The driver looked at Lila's leg, then at me. "Cab only fits two. She can ride on the flatbed, but it's not safe."
Les didn't hesitate.
He pulled open the cab door and helped Lila up.
Then he turned back to me.
"Hope, just stay here. I'll take her to the hospital and send someone back for you."
"How long?" I asked.
"Soon."
Soon. Again.
He climbed in and shut the door without a second's pause.
I watched Les drive away with another woman and leave me behind.
And me? He left me here.
I stood at the rest stop, alone.
No car. No signal. No water. No food.
Les didn't look back.
He wasn't coming back. I knew that.
Not because he'd stopped caring. Because he assumed I'd wait for him.
The way I always had. Every single time he told me to wait, I waited.
I pulled my own bag out of the trunk and went through it.
Wallet. ID. One bank card. Enough.
I started walking along the highway.